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The people of Berkeley have spoken in an historic election, and I am humbled beyond words by the trust the people of this great city have placed in me. And I am overjoyed to be your next Mayor.

I am incredibly proud of the campaign we have run and want to thank everyone who made this possible.

To everyone who generously donated to our campaign, made phone calls, walked precincts, put up signs, and helped spread the word.

To those who endorsed us—from Senator Bernie Sanders, to Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, to former Mayors Shirley Dean and Gus Newport, and so many others.

To our incredible staff, Jac, Rebecca, Brandi, Stefan, and so many others who worked their hearts out.

This is your victory, and you should all be proud of the campaign we ran. I will never forget what you have done in this election.

I also want to congratulate all the other candidates who ran in this race and the other races in Berkeley. Running for political office is an incredibly hard, humbling experience, and I know that all my fellow candidates put their names forward because they love this city and believe in public service. So thank you to everyone who participated in this beautiful, messy, democratic process. It has been quite an experience.

Now, while we celebrated a great progressive victory in Berkeley last night, and across much of our state, our nation has taken a very dark turn. Many of us are still in shock by the presidential election and likely will be for quite some time.

I can promise you this. As Mayor of Berkeley, I will always, always, fight for our shared progressive values and continue to carry the torch of this wonderfully progressive, trailblazing city. Perhaps in some small part, our city can be a local beacon in this national darkness.

Throughout this campaign we have talked about making Berkeley work for everyone. And that will be the mission I will carry forward as your Mayor.

Together, let’s build more affordable housing so our working families don’t get pushed out of our great city. Let’s raise the minimum wage to a truly living wage, so that nobody who works full time in Berkeley lives in poverty. Let us continue Berkeley’s trailblazing environmental leadership, to protect our air, our water, and our open spaces. Let us do all that we can to close those widening gaps in health, education, and economic opportunity, so that every child born in Berkeley, every family who lives here or decides to move here can get a fair shot at reaching for their dreams.

Today we are celebrating a great victory, but soon the hard work begins. And I can’t wait to get started, with you by my side.

(Berkeley, CA) – Today, in a remarkable development that is sure to shake up the Berkeley mayoral race, United States Senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders announced his endorsement of Jesse Arreguin for Mayor.

“Berkeley is known across the country and the world as a progressive, trailblazing city. And so Berkeley needs a truly progressive Mayor,” said Senator Bernie Sanders. “That is why I endorse Jesse Arreguin. Jesse Arreguin will be Berkeley's kind of Mayor. He is a tireless and effective champion for workers' rights, for civil rights, and for social justice. He will not rest until Berkeley works for everyone, not just the few."

Jesse Arreguin is one of just 100 local candidates Senator Sanders is endorsing throughout the United States for the November election.

(Berkeley, CA) – Today, Councilmember Jesse Arreguin announced that his campaign for Berkeley Mayor has been endorsed by the Alameda County Democratic Party.

“To be the Democratic Party’s officially endorsed candidate for Mayor is an incredible honor,” said Councilmember Jesse Arreguin. “I have been a committed Democrat for my entire adult life, and the values of the Party—economic and social justice, equal opportunity for all, and a commitment to creating a safer, healthier, more sustainable world for future generations—are values I live by and which inspire my public service. I look forward to working with leaders from the Democratic Party to elect committed Democrats up and down the ballot this November, and to making Berkeley a city that works for all of us in the years to come.”